You are here

Headset Makers Collaborate on Standard

FLETCHER, NC (BRAIN)—Responding to the chaos unleashed on headsets by tapered steerers, Cane Creek developed a headset identification code that is being adopted by other manufacturers.

“We don’t intend this label to replace model names. But to provide a common language to describe the look of a headset and how it fits,” said Jason Grantz, Cane Creeks’ director of marketing.

Called the Standardized Headset Identification System (S.H.I.S.), it is a unique alphanumeric label for the top and bottom cup that identifies bearing location and cup type. The small label can be laser etched into an externally visible part of the cup and the insertion skirt.

For example, an external cup headset type receives the leading code EC, zero stack is coded ZS and an integrated headset is coded IS. The numbers following this code specify the inner diameter of the headtube it presses into and to the outer diameter of the steerer it fits.

“Tapered headsets made the situation unmanageable and by sharing this system we hope to help dealers and mechanics out,” he added.

So far Acros, Cane Creek, Hope, Race Face, Reset and Ritchey have agreed to begin labeling headsets and packaging with the new system, and Cane Creek hopes other makers embrace the label. Cane Creek removed its trademark on Zero Stack to allow the name to be used freely.

“We’ve been working on this for over a year. Dealers will still have to identify the type of headset they need to service or replace, but we hope manufacturers adopt the system so bikes will come from the factory with SHIS labels. Then all dealers need do is read the headset label to know what type it is,” Grantz said.